Base-ball mitt.



B. M. SARGENT.

I BASE BALL MITT. I APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 25, 1911.

/ 11,664,859 Patented June 17, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

B. M. SARGENT.

BASE BALL MITT.

APPLIOATIONIFILED SEPT. 25, 1911.

Patented June 17, 1913.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

1/144-7/2'05 ENJMIN 5 COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CO.. WASHINGTON, D. c.

BENJAMIN M. SARGENTJOF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOB TO RAWLINGS MANU- FACTURING COMPANY, OF ST. LOUIS, MIISSOURI, A CORPORATION OF MISSOURI.

BASE-BALL MII'IT.

Specification ofLetters Patent.

Patented June 17, 1913.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, BENJAMIN M. SAR- GENT, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvementin Base-Ball Mitts, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertai-ns to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a plan view looking at the rear side of a baseball mitt of my improved construction. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the mitt taken looking in the direction. indicated by the arrow 2 in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the edge strip made use of in my improved mitt between the palm and back sections. Fi 4, is an enlarged cross-section taken approximately on the line 4:4: of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken lengthwise through the center of the mitt.

This invention relates to a mitt particularly intended for the use of base ball players, and the principal objects of my invention are, first, to construct a mitt having a comparatively thick heel portion and a comparatively thick forward end, second, to provide a mitt with. a tapering edge strip between the palm and back sections, so that when the padding is inserted between the palm sections it is not necessary to distort the shape of the palm section by stretching, which action destroys the ball pocketin the palm of the mitt, third, to attach the rear portions of the finger and thumb section to the back section in a strong substantial manner without the use of rivets or like metal fastening devices, and fourth, to arrange a strap. and buckle on. the rear portion of the finger and thumb section, so that said section may be properly adjusted around the wrist of the wearer, which buckle and strap are located so that they do not come in contact with the wrist, and,

' therefore, do not offer any inconvenience to the player while the mitt is in service.

To the above purposes my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings, 1 designates the palm section of the mitt and 2 the back section thereof, which sections are substantially alike in shape and preferably formed of tough pliable leather. The palm section 1 is slightly larger than the back section 2 in order that when the sections are properly assembled and the padding is inserted between said sections, a recess, such as 1 is formed in the center of the palm section, which recess serves as a pocket to receive the baseball.

The edge strip which connects the edges of the palm and back sections is illustrated in Fig. 3, and as shown, comprises an elon gated section 3 of leather or an analogous material. The central portion 8 of this edge strip occupies a position between the heel portions of the palm and back sections 1 and 2, and is comparatively wide in order to provide a comparatively wide space be tween said heel sections 1 and 2 for the padding located between said sections. The end portions of the strip taper gradually as designated by 8*, and these tapered portions occupy positions between the forward ends of the finger and thumb port-ions of the sections 1 and 2. Thus, the space between the forward portions of the sections 1 and 2 is comparatively narrow and as the heel of the mitt is comparatively thick, the body of said mitt gradually increases in thickness from its forward end to the heel portion.

A body l of suitable padding is located between the sections 1 and 2 and which body is cut away or made comparatively thin at its central portion, in order to form a recess which serves as a ball pocket at the center portion of the mitt. By providing an edge strip, having its greatest width at the heel portion of the glove, it is not necessary to stretch the palm sections 1 and 2 over the padding, located between the back and palm sections, and therefore, the recess or concavity is not destroyed at the center of the palm portion, and this recess which serves as a ball pocket is a very desirable feature in baseball mitts.

The edge of the palm section 1 is attached in any suitable manner to the lower edge of the strip 3, and the upper edge of said strip 3 and the edge of the back section 1 are preferably united by a cord or lacing 5 which passes through eyelets 6, seated in the adjacent edges of said strip 3 and back section 2.

The finger and thumb section 7 is applied to the back section 2 and is attached thereto by rows of stitching around the edge of said finger and thumb portion and extending from the rear end of said section 7 at the side thereof to the edge of the hack section 2, are extensions 51, the outer edges of which are attached in any suitable I1'l{l1lnor to the binding around the edge of the back section 2. Extending across these extensions 8 are rows of stitching 9, which firmly secure said extensions to the back section 2. These rows of stitching receive the strains imparted to the rear portions of the section 7 by the wrist of the wearer while the mitt is in service, and as said rows of stitching extend entirely across the extensions, the strains are consequently distributed over a considerable area, thereby materially reducing the tendency of the extensions 7 to tear away from the back section 2. By stitching the extensions 8 to the back section 2, the use of rivets and like metallic fastening devices is done away with, and it has been found in service, that where rivets and like fastening devices are used, the same soon rust, thereby permitting the extensions 8 to become detached from the back section 2.

An opening 10 is formed in the finger section 7 and immediately below said opening and directly opposite the extensions 8 are extensions 11 and 12, which, when the glove is in use, he immediately over the rear portion of the wrist of the wearer. Secured in any suitable manner to the extension 11 is a loop 13, carrying a buckle 14, and secured in any suitable manner to the extension 12 is one end of a strap 15. This strap, when in service, passes through a slot 16, formed in the end of the extension 11, and said strap also extends through the buckle 14, and is engaged by the tongue thereof. By thus locating the buckle and strap on the upper portions of the extensions 11 and 1.2, the sharp edges of the strap and the metal buckle is prevented from coming in direct contact with the rear portion of the wrist of the wearer, and to form a pad immediately beneath the buckle, a section 17 of soft leather is attached to the underside of the section 12. Thus, the rear portion of the finger and thumb section 7 can be adjusted across the rear side of the mitt of the wearer, and, as the adjusting strap and buckle are located on the top side of the section 7, the parts 11 and 12 will fit snugly and comfortably over the back of the hand and the wrist of the wearer.

A mitt of my improved construction is comparatively simple, has a relatively thin forward end and a relatively thin heel is provided in its palm portion with a ball pocket or recess of ample depth and the rear portion of the finger and thumb section is so constructed as to be readily adjusted and worn without inconvenience to the wearer.

It will be readily understood that minor changes in the size, form and construction of the various parts of my improved baseball mitt may be made and substituted for those hereby shown and described without departing from the spirit of my invention, the scope of which is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a baseball mitt, a palm section, a back section, an edge strip connecting the edges of the palm and back sections, that portion of said edge strip between the front 80 portions of the palm and back sections being substantially narrower in width than the portion connecting the rear edges of said palm and back sections, and a body of padding within the space between the palm and back sections, which body of padding gradually decreases in thickness toward the front portions of the palm and back sections.

2. In a baseball mitt, the combination with a palm section and a back section, of an edge strip connecting the edges of said sections, which edge strip is formed in a single piece with its ends located between the thumb and hand portions of said sections, the end portions of which edge strip are narrower than the central portion and a body of padding located between the palm section and back section, which body of padding decreases in thickness toward the front of the mitt.

8. In a baseball mitt, a palm section, a back section, an edge strip connecting the edges of the palm and back sect-ions, that portion of said edge strip between the front portions of the palm and back sections being substantially narrower in width than the portion connecting the rear edges of said palm and back sections, a body of padding Within the space between the palm and back sections, which body of padding gradually decreases in thickness toward the front portions of the palm and back sections and a finger and thumb section applied to the back section.

at. In a baseball mitt, a padded body, a finger and thumb back section attached to the rear side of said padded body, parts of which finger and thumb back section are extended at the rear corners to form sections having their outer edges attached directly to the edge binding of the padded body portion, a pair of cars on the rear end portion of the finger and thumb back section between the rear corner extensions, one of which ears is padded, a buckle on the padded ear, and a strap attached at one end to the opposite ear.

5. In a baseball mitt, the combination with a padded body, of a finger and thumb back section attached to the rear side of said a padded body, there being an opening be tween the padded body and the rear edge of said finger and thumb back section for the passage of the hand and wrist of the wearer of the mitt, integral extensions on the finger and thumb back section at the rear corners thereof, which extensions eX- tcnd and are attached to the edge binding of the padded body, and rows of stitching extending across said extensions for attaching the same to the back of the padded body,

which rows of stitching are arranged so as to resist pulling strains imparted to the rear portions of the finger and thumb back sec tion by the wearer of the mitt.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afliX my signature in. the presence of two witnesses, this 8th day of Sept, 1911.

BENJAMIN M. SABGENT.

Witnesses:

M. P. SMITH, JESSIE CLARK.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for Washington, D. C. 

